USS Key West (PF 17)

USS Key West (PF-17) launching December 29, 1943 at Lorain, Ohio

The second Key West (PF-17) was launched December 29, 1943 by the American Shipbuilding Company, Lorain, Ohio; sponsored by Mrs. Vernon Lowe; sister of Lieutenant Harold Felton, the first resident of Key West reported missing in World War II; and commissioned at Houston November 7, 1944, Lieutenant Commander B. Papanek, USCGR, in command.

Key West stood out of Galveston Bay November 17, 1944 for training exercises and escort duty out of Bermuda. The frigate operated there until sailing for Norfolk December 22, 1944. Key West departed Hampton Roads January 18, 1945 escorting a convoy to Oran, Algeria, and returned to Boston February 28, 1945.

During the next 4 months, she made two cruises out of Casco Bay, Maine. Upon her return New York June 14, 1945 from her final cruise, Key West remained at Brooklyn until July 5th when she sailed for Boston for conversion to a weather ship.

She departed Boston July 31, 1945 and, after transiting the Canal, arrived Pearl Harbor August 23, 1945. Key West was then assigned to duty of weather station patrol in the vicinity of Guam, arriving there September 10th. She operated out of Apra Harbor reporting meterological data and stood by to aid ships in distress until March 14, 1946 when she arrived San Francisco. Key West departed San Francisco April 9, 1946 and served for 3 weeks on plane-guard station off the North California Coast. The weather ship arrived Seattle, Washington, May 1st and was decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington, June 14, 1946. She was sold April 18, 1947 to Cascade Enterprises, Oakland, California, and scrapped.

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships